SYNOPSIS: "Made Hen" follows June, the sweet but sturdy parent of many a backyard chicken, who runs an underground chicken railroad through her livestock-prohibited neighborhood. Forced to choose between compromise with the rabidly anti-domestic-livestock Betty, or an alliance with the seedy Jimmy Cooper, June manages to eat everyone's cake and keep her own. She might just take down some bad guys for good measure.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: “Made Hen” marks the director Charles Landers’ narrative writing and directing debut. Having crewed many features and won numerous awards as a commercial writer, director, cinematographer, and editor, Charles is beginning a return to the narrative film world as he concludes his “family raising” film hiatus in Texas.

DIRECTOR Q&A

What sparked your creativity to make this film?

Our executive producer had a real-life experience hiding chickens from a nosy neighbor. That, and we had access to tame pet chickens! We started with this vague premise and within two days it became an expansive, winding story. Generally, packing a feature film scale story into a short film isn't the way to win festivals, but it's what we felt inspired to make in the moment.

What do you hope audiences to take away from your film?

The struggle between liberty and regulation, and between temptation and virtue, can be found in seemingly trivial dilemmas. The effects of these conflicts can ... Oh wait, this is a chicken comedy. Just have fun.

Where in Shreveport-Bossier did you shoot and why did you select that/those locations?

We heavily utilized residential Broadmoor for its classic look of older homes, but a solidly middle class feel. On camera, we found it somewhat reminiscent of the 1950s. Broadmoor Baptist Church also features a range of interiors which visually communicate different worship styles and eras. The varied terrain and diverse styles of monuments in Oakland Cemetery allowed us to craft our own look and "on-camera geography." The Municipal Auditorium provided a front step location that screams "public rally" without any significant modification necessary.A private residence off of Ellerbe Road provided an interesting blend of classic stateliness, more modern architecture, and even a bit of New Orleans flair in recent additions. The lush vegetation that Louisiana's climate supports really capped off the look. We were also referred to a beautiful working horse farm near Doyline, which plays heavily in the film's climax.

What was the most exciting day on set? Why?

Probably our final day of principal photography near Doyline. We lost our original location the night before, and had to track down the new rural location, decorate the set, rig special effects, etc., for multiple interior and exterior daytime setups. Essentially, a couple days of already rushed work with our full cast had to be packed into one afternoon. It turned out well under the circumstances. Overall, it was a fitting end to a film which was written in two days, rolling footage in Shreveport the next week, and turned in 15 minutes before the festival deadline! Check out the final film scenes at the Doyline location. I hope you like the result.

I’ve heard independent film is a tough business. Is the Louisiana Film Prize a good resource for an independent filmmaker? If so, why?

A filmmaker's approach to an LAFP project is fundamentally unique. The logistical support offered by LAFP makes it practical to film in Shreveport with limited local resources, and ultimately allows grander, more impressive stories to be told on a given budget. In particular, LAFP's close partnership with the City of Shreveport allowed us to efficiently book interesting locations at no charge and secure affordable police traffic control when needed. The prize itself also makes a difference. The traditional means of monetizing a film are still waiting for us after LAFP, but the unusually large prize pool offers a chance at upfront profit. Perhaps more importantly, it adds an air of excitement which gains additional enthusiasm from cast, crew, and the community.